Even Angels Fall
by Queen Nan
Summary: They'd tied her to her tree, the White Knight had dirtied her hands, the curse was meant to break... Swan Queen eventually.
1. Prologue: Knight takes Queen

**A. N: *Winces* To all my Glee readers... sorry! Also watch this show and ship Swan Queen.**

**Even Angels Fall**

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**Prologue: Knight takes Queen**

**-Regina-**

They'd tied her to her apple tree. Every citizen of Storybrooke surrounded her house, baring a stunning resemblance to the villagers of the Enchanted Forest. The mobs' faces were twisted into angry snarls and their eyes glinted dangerously in the twilight. Snow and James, united at last, stood directly behind Emma Swan who was staring at her like she kidnapped children in her spare time. The irony of course that Mr. Gold or rather Rumpelstiltskin was by her side, with a smug smirk etched on to his lips, was lost on everyone but Regina. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cackle madly and point out their stupidity, she wanted to growl, enraged that anyone could be so nonsensical as to trust him of all people. Hadn't she learned that very same lesson?

And next to Snow, snuggled in his grandmother's arms, was Henry. The boy she'd raised since birth, the boy who she had held and loved, the boy who was the child of her destruction. Oh Rumpelstiltskin was clever, and more malicious than even she could have imagined, to have given her the child of the woman destined to defeat her. To give her a son who would one day hate her as if it were written in his blood that he must.

She'd been a good mother, or she had tried to be. Yet there he was, with the look on his face identical to Snow's, as if she'd never cared for either of them, as if Snow and Henry had not hurt her in return.

Emma Swan stepped forward and snarled, "You've taken away our happy endings, and now it's time to take away yours." She held out a hand and James handed her a sword, no doubt procured from Gold's pawn shop.

As Emma hefted the sword Regina considered begging, which she'd never give anyone, let alone Snow, the satisfaction of seeing. She considered trying logic, perhaps reminding them that though she'd cast the spell, it was Rumpelstiltskin who'd crafted it, who'd benefited the most from it. She considered crying, or telling Henry that she loved him, that even if she'd known he was Snow's grandson, she would have loved him anyway, how could she not love him, even though he obviously could not love her, despite the fact that she'd never sinned against him intentionally. He would never believe her though, so she held her words, and watched as Emma stepped ever closer.

Finally Emma stood directly in front of her, close enough that Regina could smell her perfume, a cheap brand, whiff towards her in the evening breeze. She met Emma's gaze squarely, refusing to act the victim, though she was terrified. Even in her darkest moments her survival instinct had been too powerful to let despair take her. Death… death frightened her. She was scared, fighting the urge to tremble as she stared at Emma Swan. She was terrified, but she'd never die like that, cowering in fear, she was better than that, what's more, she would never let anyone see her weak again. Her time with her mother had taught her that weakness was dangerous, too dangerous to show, even now in her last moments, when she was more terrified, more broken than she'd ever been.

She'd die as she'd lived, defiant and sure, every inch the 'Evil Queen' they'd created her to be. After all, evil did not deserve concern, or pity, and the fact that she was about to be executed in front of her son was irrelevant, because she was the villain. She'd die proud then, unflinching, and comforted by the knowledge that good was about to slaughter helpless evil.

The thought allowed for a small smile to curl across her lips, which seemed to enrage Emma further. The 'White Knight' snarled at her and pressed the sword tip to her abdomen.

Even now Regina could see that small kernel of darkness rising up in Emma, in all of the villagers who would stand by and let her be killed in cold blood, unarmed and defenseless.

She cut her eyes away from Emma to look at Rumpelstiltskin who smiled his impish smile, aware that she understood his game now.

The understanding hurt more than the knowledge that she was about to die did. To know that in your life, you'd never been anything but a pawn, to be used by others, it was devastating.

In killing her, Emma would start the descent she herself had started so many years ago.

Emma asked clearly, "Any last requests before you die Regina?"

Regina, almost against her will, looked at Henry, who stared back impassively, almost indifferently. It was true then what they said. The opposite of love wasn't hate, but indifference.

Her eyes welled despite her best efforts though she did not let the tears fall as her whispered words carried across the now hushed crowd, "Cover his eyes…"

She looked at Snow then, and the part of her that would never grow tired of besting Snow reveled in the stunned surprise that came across her former step-daughter's face. A second passed and then it was hesitation that washed over Snow's features.

Regina looked away, from Snow and from Henry, from the children who she'd loved, and back to Emma.

Emma waited until Snow's hand came up to Henry's eyes before she slid the sword into Regina's stomach before yanking it out violently.

Regina might have sneered at where she'd been stabbed if the pain hadn't been so distracting. Emma couldn't even find enough mercy for her to end her life quickly.

She slumped against the ropes and gurgled out, "It won't break the curse…"

Emma stalled and demanded, "What?"

Regina let out a tired chuckle and ignored the question.

Emma caught her chin and jerked her head up, "What does that mean?"

Regina lowered her eyes and murmured, "I'm tired…" And she was, she was exhausted, she was so tired of fighting for the happy ending she'd never have, fighting for love she'd been deemed undeserving of long ago.

She let the fight go out of her even as the voices of her enemies rose to question her.

As the darkness rose to claim her and unconsciousness loomed she had a single desperate thought, maybe now she'd have peace, maybe this was her happy ending.

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	2. Chapter One: Check

**Chapter One: Check  
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**-Snow White-**

It was strange. She'd spent half her life loving Regina and feeling betrayed by her, not understanding why her stepmother had changed from the woman who'd saved her and smiled a smile brighter than the sun, a woman who loved her even though she didn't want to marry her father, to a woman bent on her destruction. She still didn't understand how a child's ignorance could cause such hatred.

She'd betrayed Regina long ago, she knew that now, but she couldn't understand how that justified all that Regina had done to her in return.

And now Regina was dead, slain by Emma's hand. Emma, who was Snow's daughter. She wondered if it was still a sin to have killed Regina, even now, after all she'd done.

As she stared at the woman who'd once encompassed one half of her whole world she flinched. Regina was slumped awkwardly against the ropes that had held her against her own tree, and wasn't that cruel of them, to take Regina's favorite place in all the world and spill her blood there?

As she thought it she gave thanks that Regina had passed far more quickly than she should have with the mortal wound she'd been given. When Emma had plunged the sword into Regina's belly she'd felt a shiver of vengeful pleasure when she realized that Regina's death would be slow and painful. Now though her stepmother was dead, her head hung limply and her eyes stared vacantly out at nothing. Now she felt shame for wishing suffering on a woman whose life was about to be snuffed out.

She felt shame and almost belatedly the thought came to her, now she was well and truly an orphan. Regina, horrible as she was in their later years, had been wonderful to her, now Snow knew she must have been a consummate actress, but at the time, when she was teaching Snow to ride a horse without fear and singing her to sleep to ward off nightmares, she'd been the best Stepmother any child could have asked for.

Indeed her talks with Ella (Cinder) had led to the conclusion that though Regina had obviously been driven mad with hatred and evil, in Snow's early years she'd been incredibly lucky. So lucky in fact that Ella had gaped at her when Snow had unthinkingly revealed that it was Regina who'd taught her to ride horses as if she'd been born with one between her legs, that it was Regina who'd told her of true love, and the magic that came with it.

It was hard to reconcile the woman who'd been so good to her as a child and teenager with the woman who'd tried time and time again to destroy her happiness. The grief she felt as she stared at her stepmother's ashen face, whose wide staring eyes were focused beyond the mob on nothing, was powerful, and surprising. Her knees buckled slightly and her hand fell away from Henry's eyes.

The boy didn't concern himself with the sight of his dead mother, rather he asked, "When will the curse break?"

Snow didn't answer him, offended on Regina's behalf, on her own behalf even. Surely Regina must have loved Henry in a way she'd never been able to love Snow, truly loved him, and he felt nothing. He dismissed the death of the woman who'd raised him as easily as he would dismiss the squashing of a bug.

For reasons she couldn't name, it rankled her.

James spoke instead "Any moment now Henry, now that the witch is dead."

She felt Henry shift at the tone of James' voice, and felt her own spine stiffen at her husband's tone. Her hated enemy or not, good did not revel in the deaths of others, regardless of their crimes.

She let out a quiet gasp, good did not kill those who could not defend themselves either, and yet wasn't that what they had just done?

Rumpelstiltskin let out a breathy chuckle from just beyond Emma, "And Queen Snow begins to understand..."

The murmuring crowd quieted at the sound of Rumpelstiltskin's voice, at his triumphant tone.

Emma turned away from Regina and Snow had to admit that her daughter had seen better days. Her face was pale and her knuckles were white from where she gripped at the sword still.

Her daughter spoke harshly, "What the hell does that mean?"

Rumpelstiltskin ignored her and all but skipped to Regina's still form and roughly yanked her hair so that her head jerk back. Her staring eyes were more obvious now, and the cloudiness of death had started to make the caramel irises a hazy grey.

Her head flopped and finally Henry reacted, "Leave her alone!"

Rumpelstiltskin turned to hiss at Henry, "Why care now boy, it's far too late for that. She's dead, gone. Concern for her is pointless."

James placed a hand on Henry's shoulder and growled, "We respect the dead, we don't demean them."

Rumpelstiltskin's breathy huff came quickly followed by his rage, "Demean her! She died tied to her own tree while her son and stepdaughter did nothing. She died helpless and alone, surrounded by enemies. What good does your respect do her now?"

Emma moved towards him and he spat at her, "Touch me and lose the hand Miss Swan." The menace in his voice was clear and the rest of the mob shifted behind her as realization began to strike them.

Regina was dead, and with her went the only one brave enough, powerful enough, and reckless enough to challenge Rumpelstiltskin with any hope of success.

Snow watched with mounting horror as Rumpelstiltskin turned back to Regina and spoke to her, "I swore I'd have you one day Regina, and I did."

Snow cocked her as she tried to puzzle that out. Rumpelstiltskin had wanted Regina? Why?

Rumpelstiltskin answered the question for her as he stroked an almost tender hand across Regina's cheek, "The Miller's granddaughter... mine at last."

Snow's hand went to her throat, "No..."

Rumpelstiltskin turned to grin at her, "Oh yes Snow... she's been mine her whole life, she just never knew it." He rubbed his hands together gleefully, "I must admit Cora did her part in destroying her light..." He bobbed his head to Snow, "And you of course, mustn't forget your part."

Snow shook her head, "She was evil..."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged "She was, not in the beginning though..." He cocked his head and purred gleefully, "And in the end her light was brightening, returning." He smiled an almost paternal smile at Henry and continued, "The love a child can do wondrous things, can heal the worst sort of pain... Unconditional love is almost as magical as true love." He waved a hand as Henry blanched, "What a pity your love wasn't unconditional. All that fear and hatred helped make her mine in the end, the tighter she held on, the more evil she appeared. It's why I gave her the son of the woman destined to defeat her. Couldn't have her being redeemed now could I?" He let out a breathy giggle.

He finally let his hand drop from Regina's hair and her head lolled to the side.

Snow let Henry go and lunged at Rumpelstiltskin only to have James catch her around the waist to hold her back, "No Snow! He's too dangerous!"

Snow struggled but James held her fast, "She was my mother once!"

Rumpelstiltskin growled at her, "And your daughter killed her. I didn't force anyone's hand Snow White; I didn't even say it would break the curse. All I did… was sell you a book."

Henry gasped in horror, "No… It can't have come from you."

Rumpelstiltskin waved a hand dismissively, "It was the boy who sought out Miss Swan, it was the boy who deemed her the evil Queen, and it was his mother who slaughtered her."

James spoke angrily even as he held Snow close, "How do we break the curse?"

Rumpelstiltskin threw his head back and cackled before spitting, "Weren't you listening? She's dead, the only one who could end the curse is Regina, her happy ending breaks it, her redemption breaks it."

Henry found his voice again, "No! The curse was her happy ending!"

Rumpelstiltskin hissed and leaned forward so that his face was inches from Henry's, "Happy! She was happy? With a son who hated her, and no true love? This was as much her curse as it was any of yours, and worse, she knew it!" He pulled back and folded his arms, "I may be evil, I may be rotten to the core, but I'm not a liar."

Emma stared at him before she breathed, "Why… why did you let us kill her then?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked almost regretful as he stared at Regina, "I can't have the curse broken before I find my son. I needed Regina gone to make sure it wouldn't be."

Emma's hand tightened around the sword as she snarled, "You used me…"

He turned to scowl at her, "My dear Miss Swan, I used you all." He reached up and snatched something from Regina's neck. He pocketed her necklace and turned to limp away.

He paused and turned to stare at the gathered crowd before his face twisted into a sneer and he resumed his trek to his car. He sped away as the crowd watched him.

Snow was the first to react as she plucked the sword from Emma's hand and swung at the ropes holding Regina. She dropped the sword and caught Regina's body as it fell forward.

She gently lowered the older woman to the ground and reached a hand out to the wound that her own daughter had inflicted. Her eyes watered as her hand came away drenched in blood that had already started to pool. Regina's heart had stopped pumping so the blood that seeped out now was simply due to gravity.

Snow pressed a hand to Regina's chest and froze, her heart was still. Regina was well and truly dead.

Her glassy eyes stared up at the stars and her skin was ashen.

It was James who called out, "Dr. Whale, Eric!"

Dr. Whale or rather Eric hurried forward and dropped to his knees next to Regina and his hands went to her wound. After a minute he hung his head and whispered, "She's dead Snow White."

Snow shook her head, "No, there has to be something we can do."

Dr. Whale stood and scowled down at Snow, "She's dead! There isn't any magic in this world Snow. Dead is dead." He ran a hand through his hair and Snow watched as his eyes welled and he turned away. She knew Dr. Whale had been close with Regina before his memories had been restored, and she wondered how Eric was feeling about her death now.

Dr. Whale whispered as he stepped away, "She gave me my wife…" Snow gaped at him even as he walked back into the crowd, shoving people who didn't get out of his way.

She looked back down at Regina and smoothed a hand over the woman's hair. She glanced up at Henry and flinched as he stared at his adoptive mother who even now was beginning to grow stiff and cold.

An angry shout from the crow was heard as Sydney pushed through and shoved Henry away from Regina and almost snarled at Emma. He looked ready to belt Snow across the face as she scrambled out of his way. He knelt and gathered Regina into his arms as another of the crowd broke away. A woman Emma had never seen before but that Snow recognized rushed forward to support Regina's head.

James and Emma both stepped forward only to have Sydney hiss at them, "You've all done enough." He and Maleficent turned to the house and slowly made their way into the house. Maleficent turned to the crowd and shut the door harshly, barring entrance to everyone, including Henry.

Snow clenched her fist and shuddered at the sticky feel of Regina's blood.

Quietly she spoke, "I need to wash my hands…"

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	3. Chapter Two: Blitz

**A.N: Thank you to everyone who alerted, faved, commented, and read. I hope you like this next chapter.  
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**Even Angels Fall**

**Chapter Two: Blitz**

Maleficent shut the door and whirled to face Sidney, "Put her on the dinning room table."

Sidney, who was staring down at Regina blinked and looked up at her through tearful eyes, "What?"

Maleficent didn't soften, "Put her down Sidney, she isn't going anywhere, and we have a very limited window."

She led Sidney into the dining room and swept a hand across the table, knocking Regina's carefully set table-scape to the floor so that Sidney could set the Queen's body down. Sidney did so gently. His right hand came away bloody as he pressed it over her wound and then snatched it away a second later.

He whispered, "She's really dead..."

Maleficent squashed the grief that rose up and threatened to choke her. When this was all over, and the curse was broken, she was going to make sure to gut Prince Philip for holding her back and making her watch as her best friend, her only friend was slaughtered in cold blood.

She let her lip curl into a sneer, if they wanted evil then evil was what they'd get. After she saved her friend.

She snapped at Sidney, "I need your help."

He didn't look at her, instead he ran his clean hand over Regina's hair reverently and hissed, "That damn Cricket held me back my Queen... I swear I would have helped you if he hadn't... or died with you."

Maleficent winced but could let herself feel sympathy for the man as she grabbed his shoulders and spun him around to look at her, "Sidney! Do you want to help her? Do you want to save her?"

He blinked at her, "Yes...but..."

Maleficent growled, "But nothing, Regina is a Sorceress, and her mother was a bitch."

Sidney cocked his head in confusion, "What does Cora have to do with anything?"

Maleficent huffed, "When she killed Daniel Cora took half of Regina's heart, and she kept it when she went to Wonderland. Regina got it back, it's how she met the Hatter, and it's why Cora took Regina's father."

Sidney narrowed his eyes, "If she got it back why didn't she put it back into her chest where it belonged?"

Maleficent let out a heavy sigh, "Putting half a heart back is harder than putting a whole one back, it's just as likely to kill you as it is to make you whole again, and Regina wasn't willing to risk dying before she had her revenge on Snow White."

Sidney snarled, "I don't blame her..." He was clearly still infuriated but then he faltered, "But... if it could kill her...what good will her heart do?"

Maleficent let his shoulders go and let out a humorless chuckle, "She's already dead Sidney, what have we got to lose?"

Sidney straightened, "What do we need to do?"

She waved at him to follow her as she strode from the dinning room, "We need to find her magic."

Sidney hurried after her, "What? There isn't any magic in this world."

Maleficent let out a scoff, "Regina isn't a fool, there is no way she would come to this world without some magic, she would have hidden it somewhere and if we can find it... well I may be able to preserve her body long enough for us to find her the rest of her heart so we can put it back." She let out a harsh laugh, bordering on a cackle, "And when she wakes up we can reign fire down on the Charmings and Rumpelstiltskin."

Sidney muttered as he followed her, "I'd start with her ungrateful little brat."

Maleficent nodded, "I've always said, mothers should just eat their young and be done with it."

She put her hands on her hips and turned in a full circle in the foyer, "It will be somewhere in plain sight, something she can see everyday, and it will have been here long before Henry. It will be easily accessible but innocuous enough that no one would think twice about it." She was counting on Sidney to know what in the house might have fit that description, as she added, "It would almost have to be in her room or her study..."

Sidney rubbed his hands together and led her into the study and started pulling things down and handing them to her. If they'd had more time Maleficent might have put them back where Regina had had them but they were running on a very tight schedule so she simply dropped them as she followed Sidney.

They'd torn through her office in less than ten minutes before they hurried up the stairs to Regina's bedroom. The bed was turned down and Regina's pajamas were laid out. Maleficent ground her teeth down as she flashed back to the image of Regina being hauled from her house that night. Her friend had likely been about to get ready for bed when Charming and some of his flunkies had burst into her home, and into her room to drag her out to the lynch mob waiting on her front lawn. No doubt they'd been let in by her ingrate of a son.

Maleficent took a moment to survey the room and let her gaze settle on a ornate mirror that lay on the floor abandoned. She stooped and plucked it from the ground. She felt the hum of magic the instant her fingers grazed the cool metal.

She stood and clutched it to her chest, "Found it."

Sidney lit up and asked, "What are you going to do with it?"

Maleficent ignored him and hurried back down the stairs back to the dinning room where Regina's body still rested, undisturbed.

She laid the mirror down on Regina's wound and placed her finger tips on the smooth glass surface and let the pool of magic surge through her as she began her chant. Regina had managed to squirrel away a large amount of magic in this world, but the enchantment she was about to attempt would use the lion's share, which meant she only had one chance.

She chanted and behind her Sidney prayed to the fates neither of them had ever believed in as Maleficent did her best to place Regina in a healing stasis.

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Emma let herself be led to Mary Margaret's... or rather Snow White's apartment by Henry and Da-James. God that was still weird. As her mother rushed into the apartment and straight to the kitchen sink Emma flinched.

She hadn't let herself think about the fact that she'd just killed a woman in cold blood, to end a curse a part of her still didn't believe in, on the word of a ten year old who'd been heavily influenced by a book that had been given to him by a man whose evil couldn't be matched.

Gold had used her. Rumpelstiltskin had used each and everyone of them and they'd danced to his tune as if they were all puppets.

She watched as her mother scrubbed at her hands with a desperation that Emma had never seen before. Emma glanced down at her own hands and couldn't help but feel that it was wrong that her own hands were outwardly bloodless.

She turned to look at Henry and frowned. The boy seemed unfazed by his mother's death.

She spoke quietly, "Henry... are you..."

He cut her off quickly, "She was still the Evil Queen."

Snow spun from the sink and Emma felt the need to step in front of her son when she caught the look on Snow's face.

Snow took a step forward and spat out, "She was still your mother."

Henry tilted his chin, and in that moment the set of his eyes and the slight baring of his teeth was so Regina that Emma almost choked as a hysterical laugh tried to burst from her chest.

Henry, James, and Snow all turned to look at her as she let out a gasp, "I killed your mother and you still think I'm the hero..."

Henry persisted stubbornly, "She was the Evil Queen and you're the White Knight. It should have broken the curse."

Snow stepped forward and stated sadly, "Not everything is that simple Henry, not in our world, and certainly not in this world."

Henry's eyes welled as he burst out, "Then you should have stopped it!" He clapped a hand over his mouth and then whispered, "I've never seen her scared before..."

Snow turned away and wrapped her arms around her waist, "I have..."

Emma sank down onto their sofa, "I killed a woman in cold blood tonight..."

James crossed his arms and insisted, "Everyone there was guilty for letting it happen. We thought it would break the curse."

Henry's eyes widened as he let out a whimper, "I'm so dumb..."

Emma reached out to him, "Henry..."

He danced out of her reach and replied miserably, "I am. I'm dumb, we all are. If someone's death was the evil that started the curse, what kind of fairy tale would it be if that's what it took to end the curse?"

Emma stared at him, "I don't understand."

His eyes were spilling over as he all but screamed, "The white knight is supposed to save everybody!"

Snow's hand went to her throat, "Oh no..."

Emma looked at her mother, "What?"

Snow whispered, "Including Regina... right Henry?"

The boy nodded miserably, "There is only one thing that can truly break a curse, the only sure bet."

James cocked his head in confusion, "And what's that?"

Snow looked at James for just a moment as if she thought he was stupid before she murmured, "True love's kiss..."

Emma blinked.

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Maleficent sank into one of the dinning room chairs as she stared at Regina's body. The only way she was even sure it worked was the fact that the glassy look in Regina's eyes had faded back to the burnt caramel, as if she was simply sleeping with her eyes open.

Maleficent reached out a shaking hand out and closed Regina's eyes even as Sidney demanded, "Did it work?"

Maleficent nodded tiredly, "It did. The spell should heal her body, even though her heart doesn't beat."

Sidney stepped up next to her and folded his arms across his chest, "What do we do now?"

Maleficent squared her shoulders and stood, "We need to make a show of burying her. If the Dark One suspects..." She trailed off.

Sidney growled, "He'll probably try to have her body burned or destroyed."

Maleficent sneered, "He can try, but the spell should protect her body, but it won't last forever. We need to find the rest of her heart before the spell fades and decay sets in."

Sidney stated firmly, "We should bury her here... beneath her tree. In case..."

Maleficent understood what he wasn't able to say, "In case we don't find her heart in time."

Sidney ran a hand over his face and murmured, "I'll get a shovel."

Maleficent turned to watch him go before she turned back to Regina's enchanted body. For just a moment she let herself worry that they wouldn't succeed, let herself grieve for her friend as she stared at Regina's still form.

After a moment she shoved the thoughts aside and vowed, "I'll find your heart Regina, and then all of Storybrooke will burn at our feet."

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	4. Chapter Three: Hanging Pawns

**READ ME PLEASE!A.N: So I have a question... how many people would read a OUaT/Criminal Minds crossover set in a 'verse where the curse wasn't real? Cause I have a killer idea(Hehe pun), but I want to know if anyone would be interested?  
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**Also thank you so much to anyone who read, reviewed, alerted, and Favorited. Thank you very much.  
**

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**Even Angels Fall**

**Chapter Three: Hanging Pawns**

Ruby stepped from the diner and ran a hand through her hair before she set off in a loping walk. She needed a break from all of the people in the diner, all the people pointing fingers and acting as if they hadn't been happy to let Regina die before it became clear that her death wouldn't fix anything.

Ruby scowled; if possible, the Queen's death had actually made things worse.

She didn't have any particular direction in mind as she walked but soon enough she found herself in front of the mayor's house where the sound of a shovel hitting the dirt drew her in. She rounded the hedge and paused as she watched Sidney, or rather the Magic Mirror... she was just going to keep calling him Sidney, dig a hole. He had apparently just started as he struggled to break through the grass roots to the soil beneath.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you digging?"

He nearly dropped the shovel as he jumped and turned to glare at her before muttering, "Why do you think?"

She could guess but she still couldn't quite help herself, "Gophers?"

His hands tightened around the shovel before he turned away from her to ignore the question and continued digging.

Ruby dipped her head and mumbled, "I'll get a shovel." She turned and began the short walk back to the diner.

She ignored everyone as the door dinged above her as she hurried into the back, where they kept their shed.

She hurried back through the diner and was almost out when Granny's voice stopped her, "Red?"

Ruby turned to glance at her grandmother before she spoke softly, "I need the shovel..."

The diner was quiet as everyone waited for her to continue.

Finally she did, "To dig a grave."

The restaurant was suddenly uncomfortably silent until Dr. Whale asked, "Where?"

Ruby gave a sad shrug, "Under the apple tree."

Dr. Whale stood and spoke, "I'm getting my shovel."

Hopper stood as well, followed closely by Kathryn Nolan who both followed Dr. Whale out of the diner. Ruby watched them go before she left the diner.

She had a hole to dig.

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Emma looked up from where she'd been staring at the wall as a knock sounded on their door. She stood and walked slowly to the door and swung it open. When she saw who was waiting on the other side she nearly shut the door in his face.

He reached a hand out, "Emma..."

She growled at him, "Go away August... or I guess I really should call you Pinocchio."

He flinched under her harsh gaze, "I just needed you to believe, and killing Regina... it should have ended the curse. It made sense."

Emma had to force herself not to shove the man, "In what world does it make sense? You wanted so badly to end the curse that you ignored your common sense! We all did. I killed a woman tonight... I killed a defenseless woman to end a curse I don't even completely believe in."

August's eyes lit up, "Maybe that's why killing her didn't work! Maybe you still need to believe more."

Emma glared at him, "I stabbed her August! I killed her! I don't think I could have believed anymore than I did in that moment that I was doing the right thing." She turned away from him and whispered, "I had to. I couldn't have killed her any other way." Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the look in Regina's eyes as she let go of life. She'd watched as the fight bled out of the woman who'd raised her son, as if the sword had punctured her will to live as well as her stomach. What's more than the exhaustion though, the thing that was likely to haunt her until the day Emma died, was the relief. The relief in Regina's gaze as she realized she was about to die.

It made Emma wondered if all the evil Regina had done in her past life as the evil Queen, or hell, even here in Storybrooke, had simply been her way of slowly committing suicide. Perhaps she'd hoped that someday someone would stop her, would kill her.

Emma thought that should make her feel better. It didn't. Regina's last words, to cover Henry's eyes, weren't the words of someone who couldn't love, of someone who didn't care.

August followed her into the apartment and spoke, "They're digging her a grave..."

Emma heard her mother gasp and then demand, "Where?"

August replied softly, "Under her tree..."

Emma watched as her mother stood, "Come on."

James spoke up, "That woman does not deserve a grave. She should be burned, as all witches should be."

Snow turned her furious eyes on James, "And will you light the fire? James, you once told me that killing Regina would lead to darkness, and look what it is already starting to do. She deserves our mercy, at least in this."

James folded his arms but relented when Henry looked up at him, "Please James?"

James nodded down at his grandson and muttered, "I'll get a shovel."

Emma hesitated before following her mother's lead and following her family from the apartment.

* * *

When they arrived at the Mayor's Mansion, it was with surprised that they realized that more than a couple of people who were steadily digging the hole that would serve as Regina's grave. James looked at Snow, who nodded towards the half dug grave. He gave a heavy sigh and plodded over to the grave and earned a dirty look from Sidney, but none of the men who were digging nor Ruby said a word.

Snow led Emma and Henry to the door of the mansion while August took over for Ruby at the grave. Kathryn stood alone in front of the door and was pounding on it.

"Maleficent let me in!"

For the other side a harsh voice snapped back, "For the last time, no!"

Kathryn frowned before her voice grew gentle and she spoke, "Maleficent, she was my friend in this world, just as she was your friend in the other."

There was a long silence before the door cracked open and Maleficent peered out. When she caught sight of Snow, Emma, and Henry her face twisted into an ugly snarl as she made to shut the door.

Snow's hand shot out to catch the door as she stated firmly, "We're coming in. I want to see her."

Maleficent stepped into the doorway and blocked it with her body, "Why on earth would I let you near her. I won't have you coming in her so you can burn her body, she deserves better than that."

Henry spoke up, "This is still my house."

Maleficent turned her gaze on the young boy and if possible her eyes hardened further, "If you had been my son I would have smothered you in your cradle." Henry stepped back from her vitriol as Emma and Snow moved to stand in front of him.

Emma snapped, "Hate me all you want, hate Snow, but do not talk to my son like that," She cocked her head and added softly, "To Regina's son like that."

Maleficent faltered before she glanced back into the house and then back at Snow, "She loved you once… but you know that."

Snow hung her head, "Even when I hated her, even when I wanted nothing more than to watch her die for all she'd tried to do to me, I still loved her, deep down I loved her, and I hated her even more because I couldn't get the piece of my heart that she had back."

Maleficent's eyes softened just a fraction, "I think she hated you for the same reason sometimes. I think that she was so bent on your destruction because she hated that there was still a part of her that loved you."

She eyed the four people on Regina doorstep before she stood aside, "I want to change her clothes," She threw a harsh glare at Emma, "They're bloody."

Emma flinched even as she guided Henry into the house, "Henry why don't you go pick your mom's favorite outfit. Do you think you can do that?"

Henry nodded and hurried up the stairs.

Snow wrapped her arms around her waist and asked, "Where is she?"

Maleficent nodded towards the dining room and led the three women out of the foyer. Snow let out a whimper when she caught sight of Regina laid out on the table, eyes closed and hands at her sides. Her head had lolled to the side and the front of her shirt was stained a dark red from where the blood was drying.

Snow and Kathryn both stepped forward and stood side by side. Kathryn reached out a tentative hand and snatched it away when she came into contact with Regina's rapidly cooling skin. Snow wasn't so squeamish as she picked up Regina's hand and bent down to press the dead woman's hand to her cheek.

Quietly she spoke, "When I used to have nightmares as a child she used to sing me back to sleep. She'd let me stay in her chambers even though my father forbade it. He was never cross with me but he used to yell at her."

Emma stepped on her mother's other side and asked quietly, "She was good to you as a child?"

Snow nodded and let out a humorless laugh, "I know I ruined her happiness but she must have been the best actress in the Enchanted forest because I never once suspected she hated me."

Maleficent let out a huff and snapped, "She didn't hate you, not really. Regina is many things, and fates know she can hold a grudge with the best of them, but it wasn't just that Daniel was killed. She knew that Cora was more responsible for that than you were. It may have planted the seed but she didn't truly begin to hate you until you were sixteen, until then she had never even considered harming you or your father."

Snow turned look at her in surprise, "But… what did I do? I don't remember doing anything that would have caused her to hate me anymore than she already did."

Maleficent's lips curled into a dark smile as she purred, "I'd tell you to ask your father but Regina already dealt with him."

Snow almost dropped Regina's cooling hand at the reminder of what the woman had done to her father but she paused, "What are you implying?"

Maleficent sneered at her, "I'm not implying anything, I am telling you he deserved exactly what he got."

Maleficent turned to look at Henry as he crept into the room, "What took so long?"

The boy ignored her and handed her the clothes, "I'll wait in the living room while you change her clothes."

Emma nodded, "Ok kid."

He left the room as quietly as he had entered while Maleficent moved to the other side of the table across from the three women. She held up the shirt Henry had brought and nodded in approval before she placed it next to her and leaned forward to undo Regina's buttons.

Once the buttons were undone Emma moved forward and lifted Regina's torso from the table so that Kathryn and Maleficent could slip the bloody, soiled blouse from her body. Snow reached across the table and retrieved the shirt Maleficent had set down and guided Regina's arms through the sleeves while Emma shifted her hands so that the shirt could settle on her shoulders. She laid her gently back down and before anyone could move to do it, she began buttoning the shirt. She faltered over the wound which was ugly and gaping before she soldiered on and finished. She left the two buttons at the top undone, remembering that Regina often left them that way even at her most formal.

They removed her pants in much the same fashion before Emma called out to Henry, "We're finished Henry!"

The boy hurried in the room and stepped next the table near Regina's head and held something shiny up, "Can I put this on her?"

He addressed Maleficent who eyed him with open distrust, "What is it?"

He held it out for her to inspect as he spoke, "I bought it for her for mothers' day when I was nine, it was right before I found out I was adopted." He was quiet for a moment as he shifted, suddenly looking ashamed, "After I figured out she was the Evil Queen I took it back…"

Maleficent's lip curled and for a moment everyone in the room was certain she was going to lash out at the boy before she proved them all wrong and nodded curtly before turning away and heading out of the room.

Henry leaned forward, "Can one of you lift her head?"

Emma did as he asked and lifted Regina's head as she eyed the pretty gold bauble that Henry had latched around his mother's neck. It was an apple.

He bent his head and whispered something into Regina's ear so softly no one could hear it before he stepped away from the table.

* * *

Maleficent returned a second later with white silk sheet and together the four women set about wrapping Regina in it.

With all the people digging the hole had taken much less time and so within the hour it was ready for Regina.

Sidney, Dr. Whale, and Dr. Hopper each supported a portion of the wrapped body's weight and in a hostile moment, when James had stepped forward to help, Sidney had hissed at him not to touch his Queen.

The three men lowered Regina into the crudely dug grave with a surprisingly gentle reverence. Snow reached up right before they were ready to fill in the grave and plucked an apple from the tree. She knelt and set the apple on Regina's stomach before standing and taking James' hand and Emma's.

Sidney picked up his discarded shovel and began placing the dirt in. He glared at anyone who moved to pick up a shovel as he seemed intent on placing each shovelful of dirt in the grave gently rather than tossing it in. Even though she was dead, it was as if he was loathe to do anything that could mar her beauty, covered though it was.

The rest of the gathered waited patiently while he slowly filled in the grave.

* * *

From across the street Rumpelstiltskin watched as the Queen was buried. He eyed the blonde witch who stood separate from the others and smiled. If he'd placed his pawns correctly, she'd done exactly what he wanted her to.

He glanced at the box sitting in the passenger seat. It was a benign thing; the only thing to suggest that it might be special was the steady, faint thump that echoed from within.

* * *

**Read and Review please**


	5. Chapter Four: King's Gambit

**A.N: I know, I suck so so bad for taking so long with this, I can only say that my desire to write has been largely channeled towards Enchanted which is, you know, still Swan Queen. Also I admit that the finale did throw me for a little while before I decided to do as I've always done, which is to say ignore anything I don't agree with. **

* * *

**Chapter Four: King's Gambit**

He stared at the beating organ, bright and red, sustained by ancient powerful magic that even he couldn't touch, not that he'd ever want to. He reached out a hand and caressed the beating half heart with a single finger. As soon as his flesh made contact with all that remained of Regina's heart his eyes snapped shut and his mouth clamped down in agony, a single moment of contact held years of agony, all of Regina's pain, anger, and heartbreak had been stored in the heart, and yet there was hope, all of the positive emotions that she should have felt as they were happening were stored almost completely intact, such was the horror of the half-hearted.

A half-hearted could be lucky, and go their whole life only truly feeling the positive emotions in life, the things that made them happy, whilst sadness, anger, greed, jealousy, and all manner of darker emotions were dampened. The unlucky though, they were treated to the other side of the perversion, until the only emotions they could feel, truly feel, were the negative ones, their minds succumbing to the deep pain and horror. Knowing Cora, and he did, she'd done exactly that to her daughter. That Regina had lasted as long as she had married to Leopold was a miracle in its own right, that she'd stopped herself from strangling Snow with her bare hands for all those years, that she'd even managed to love her at all was a testament to just how deeply Regina had been able to love with her whole heart. Cora had attempted a cruelty even worse though by killing Daniel the night she stole half of Regina's heart, by killing the boy she believed to be Regina's true love. Only the true love of the victim could return the heart with any hope of success, and surely Regina, who'd been tutored in the dark arts by her mother, must have known that. Not only had she lost her first love that night, but her hope for ever being whole again.

Rumpelstiltskin yanked his finger away and marveled at Regina's sheer strength of will. Just a second of the heart's influence and his knees were shaky and his mind was filled with all the darkness of a lifetime of pain. That Regina hadn't simply murdered them all in their beds during the years was astounding to him. He had no doubt that the only reason Regina had managed to fight the darkness in Storybrooke, to slowly claw her way back towards the light, to truly love Henry at all, was that the missing piece of her heart was nearby.

He blinked away the sudden moisture the welled in his eyes as he thought of the horror he'd inflicted upon the woman, the child. He'd never done anything so evil as to spur Cora into creating Regina, and then abusing her, nurturing her magical gifts while at the same time doing her level best to stamp out the girl's natural goodness. He'd known that the level of perversion it would take to pervert a child born of true need would be vast. He'd needed Regina, he'd needed her magic, but he didn't need the pure, untainted heart she'd been born with, he needed Cora's evil coupled with his power and so he'd set about helping Cora bring it to the surface. It wasn't until he'd been forced to watch as Cora tore out half of Regina's heart that he realized that Regina may have inherited his power but Cora's evil was harder to foster, harder to bring to the surface in the naturally loving and gentle girl. So they'd forced that loving and gentle spirit out of her.

To his consternation and shame, it had taken far longer for Regina to cast the curse that he'd have ever believed. The sheer torture he'd put her through in order to make his way to the land without magic that Bae had spoken of was truly monstrous, and he couldn't help but hope that Bae would never learn of this one act, and of how truly horrifying it was.

He closed the lid to the box and did his best to tune out the sound of the beating heart that still echoed from within. He could only hope now that he'd set his pieces right, and that in the end he hadn't miscalculated. He may have had a hand in facilitating the murder of his own daughter, but surely he would have a hand in bringing her back if Emma Swan was who he believed her to be.

* * *

Emma Swan watched as Henry ate his breakfast quietly. She could see that he wasn't happy with the cold cereal for the fifth day in a row but neither she, nor Snow knew how to cook. James didn't either for that matter. He hadn't complained though, perhaps he thought it would anger them to hear him speak of Regina with anything other than contempt or perhaps he didn't feel he had a right to long for his mother's cooking now that she'd been killed, at his urging no less. None the less he was slowly but surely coming to the realization that his mother was well and truly gone, and while Emma and Snow both loved him and tried their level best to care for him, they didn't know him. They didn't know that he wasn't afraid of the dark, but that thunderstorms terrified him, or that Thursday was new comic book day, they didn't know what song to sing when he woke from a nightmare or that he held a deep seated belief that he'd fail any test or quiz he might take if he didn't have eggs for breakfast that same morning.

They certainly didn't know that he was allergic to strawberries. Emma blinked back a tear as she stared at the boy who just yesterday had gazed up at her terrified as his throat closed up and his face began to swell. He'd croaked for his bag and Snow had torn through it before pulling out a bag with his EPI pen. It wasn't until later that Snow or Emma realized that the bag bore Regina's neat lettering in a note threatening anyone who fed her son something he was allergic to and then let him die. Henry had stared up at the two women who were meant to be taking care of him as they passed the pen back and forth, neither one willing to jab him in the thigh, before he'd mustered his strength and snatched it with a glare his mother would have been proud of and stabbed the needle into his own leg.

They'd taken him the hospital to get checked out by a terse and still angry Dr. Whale who hadn't even had it in him to be nice to Henry. Instead he'd explained that Regina's wrath was likely to extend from beyond the grave if Emma, Snow, and James didn't get their acts together to care for the boy they'd taken from her with the insistence that she was unfit due to her title as 'Evil'. He'd handed them a list of things Henry was allergic to and then told them to get out of his hospital.

Emma couldn't be sure but Henry had looked at all of them different since yesterday. His shoulders were more slumped and his eyes a little less bright as he played with instead of eating his cereal. The shine of escaping Regina had worn off, and she had to wonder if he'd finally figured out that he'd had nothing to escape from. For all her faults, Regina had been a good mother, protective, and capable, to both him and Snow. In her way Regina had loved Henry as deeply as she was able and yet it hadn't been enough for Henry, or for Emma. They'd conspired together to rob Regina of her son, to break her heart yet again. It seemed her family was destined to destroy Regina's happiness, forever and always.

She didn't want to feel shame or horror over killing Regina but she couldn't get those eyes out of her minds' eye. She couldn't forget the look of utter relief that washed over Regina's face in her last seconds of life, as the dying woman realized that she was going to die, it was as if she'd been set free in that moment. Again, it should have comforted her, the knowledge that Regina had welcomed death in her last moments, but if Henry and Snow were to be believed, Regina's death wasn't the only way the war could have ended. She might have saved Regina instead, brought her forward into the light rather than sinking into the darkness with her.

As she turned away from Henry her fists clenched. She was sure that Emma's descent into darkness had thrilled Regina in the end, or at least amused her. No doubt Regina had loved that Emma had proved no more virtuous or pure than she herself had. Regina had brought about the death of her husband to escape a loveless marriage and punish her step daughter while Emma had killed the woman her son called mother. It was infuriating… and devastating.

She made her way to the window and watched as the town bustled below, working to keep the town running without the guiding hand of their Mayor. It was proving nearly impossible, as none one was keen to listen to anyone else. Regina may have been dubbed the Evil Queen in the other realm, and she may have ruled Storybrooke with an iron fist, but she'd run it smoothly, and fairly, and now that she was gone, none one knew what they were meant to do. Though they'd all deny it, it was simpler when the Mayor was telling them what needed to be done.

Emma turned back from the window and spoke, "Henry, get your bag for school."

Her son turned to look at her before standing and leaving his soggy cereal behind. He was quiet as he gathered his belongings and moved to stand by the door. Emma didn't say anything else as she opened the door for the both of them and guided Henry from the room.

* * *

Once she'd dropped Henry off at school she'd driven around town aimlessly for a long while before she pulled up in front of Gold's, no, Rumpelstiltskin's shop. Before she could hesitate or change her mind she left her vehicle and blew into the Imp's shop with a dramatic bang.

The Dark One glanced up, "Tell me Miss Swan now that she's dead, do you feel you must take her place in all things, including barging into my shop as if you own the place?"

Emma didn't flinch or shy away, "Seeing as you wanted her dead, I can't see why you'd mind."

The Imp frowned at her, "I may have needed her out of the way Miss Swan, but you're the one who… slid the sword home."

Emma did flinch at that, "I…"

He waved a hand, "Far be it from me to judge you for doing exactly as I wanted, though I will say you've proved infinitely more biddable than Regina did. It took years for her to cast the curse."

Emma might have scoffed but she didn't want to anger the evil man before she'd gotten what she came for, "You gave Mary Margaret, sorry Snow, the book?"

He nodded, "I did indeed. I knew she'd give it to young Henry."

Emma pressed on, "And the book convinced Henry that Regina was the ultimate villain."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "He'd learned that he was adopted two months prior I believe, so his world was shaken. I timed it right so that he'd come to the truth more easily than he might have at the height of his love for Regina, when he believed her to be his whole world, the hanger of the stars, and slayer of monsters."

Emma slumped; they'd truly been less than pawns to this man, "Why did she have to die? Why couldn't Henry have realized that I could save her?"

Rumpelstiltskin blinked at her before his lip curled, "To truly value something, I believe we must lose it first. Even now young Henry is realizing that his mother was not the evil witch he believed her to be isn't he? He's likely missing his comics, and her cooking, and the way she'd hug him in the morning, the way she loved him. You may have given birth to him, but you aren't his mother, not yet."

Emma leaned forward aggressively, "So this was all a lesson for Henry? What the hell kind of monster uses a kid like that?"

Rumpelstiltskin growled and nearly spat in her face, "Don't presume to understand me, or my motives Miss Swan. As for lessons, it's just as important that you learn one as well. Surely you can feel it…?"

She blinked at him, "Feel what?"

He rolled his eyes, "That feeling of despair, of hopelessness. She's gone Miss Swan, she's dead, and with her so goes your happy ending."

Emma let out a heavy scoff, "Please, like I really believe that my happy ending could have anything to do with Regina Mills."

The Imp let out a chuckle, "Foolish girl, you'll believe it in the end. Now… what did you come for?"

Emma took a deep breath, "The book, it only has one side of the story right? I… I want the other side. Maleficent said there was a reason that Regina killed Snow's father, I want to know why."

To her surprise Rumpelstiltskin scowled as he hissed, "Ah yes… King Leopold, never has a man presented such a virtuous front while being such a beast to his wife."

Emma tensed, "Snow speaks of him very lovingly."

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes, "She would. Snow was the beloved daughter of the wife he truly loved, while Regina was the eighteen year old beauty forced into marriage and into his bed. He may have loved his first wife, and he certainly loved Snow, but do not believe for one moment that he loved Regina."

Emma narrowed her eyes, "Then tell me the whole story."

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, "I cannot tell you the whole story, for I do not know it…" As she slumped in disappointment she missed the sudden gleam in his eyes as he added, "But… I can give you something that will show you."

Emma's head snapped up, "Give it to me, please."

He held up a hand, "Hang on a moment Miss Swan, first we must strike a bargain."

She shook her head, "No way, Snow warned me about you, Regina warned me about you!"

He shrugged, "You might have at least listened to my terms, they were very reasonable."

She hesitated before letting out a disgusted huff, "Fine, give me your terms."

He rubbed his hands together and stated, "I will give you something that will show you the horror of Regina's life, of her marriage and her early years, but when Maleficent comes and asks for it, you must insist on being the one to return it to where it belongs. Swear to me that your hands and your hands alone will return it and I will give it to you gladly."

Emma squinted at him, trying to see his hidden angle or what he got out of the deal, "That's it?" He nodded and she let out a sigh, "Fine…" She held out her hand and clasped his bone dry hand with hers, "We have a deal."

He nodded and reached under the counter before pulling out an ornate box and setting it on the counter, "We have a deal." He slid the box towards her and warned, "Don't touch it for more than a minute. Simply think of what you wish to see and lay a single finger upon it and you'll have your answers."

She pulled the box closer and slowly opened it before letting out a horrified gasp and slamming it back shut. She'd have drawn her gun on the sick Imp if she'd been wearing it, "It's a human heart!" She paused and then opened the box again, only this time she left it open as she gaped at the still beating heart, or rather the half that was in the box, because it seemed that at least half was missing.

Rumpelstiltskin waved a dismissive hand, "It is all that's left of Regina… her still beating heart… or half of it at least."

Emma's back bunched as she stared down at the muscle which thumped steadily, "I... This is what's left of her heart?"

Rumpelstiltskin pressed his hands to the counter and nodded, "It is the piece that her mother stole from her the night her first love was murdered. It is the part of her heart that truly feels warmth, hope, love… happiness."

Emma jerked her gaze up, "So… the piece she had was…?"

He cocked his head, "Was the part that felt the dark emotions, yes."

Emma scowled heavily, "Her mother was a bitch."

The Imp let out a heavy, harsh chuckle, "She was at that."

Emma shut the lid, more reverently this time and then let out a gasp, "If… You want me to put this back where it belongs then…"

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "The deal has been made Miss Swan, you have the heart, now get out of my shop."

Emma plucked the box from the counter and turned from the shop without another word. As she opened the door to her car she ignored the sudden hope that flared in her chest as the steady beat of Regina's heart filled the car.

* * *

**Read and Review Please**


	6. Chapter Five: Queen's Sacrifice

**A.N: I've implied that Leopold was a beast to Regina while still be good to Snow, but this chapter makes that clear, so be warned. He's a tool in this fic. Sorry to any of you who happen to love him. He is decidedly a villain in this piece. Also sorry to anyone who thinks I was overly harsh, it comes from the need to have a better explanation as to why Regina would hate Snow so intensely, the show's explanation didn't cut it for me.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Queen's Sacrifice**

Emma didn't trust Gold, so she was pretty sure messing with the heart was a bad idea, especially while she was alone. So it was an impatient Emma that greeted Snow, Henry, and James when they returned from picking Henry up from school.

She ushered them into the apartment with an impatient huff, "Come on, come on."

Snow cocked an eyebrow, "What's going on Emma?"

Emma clenched her hands together as she moved to stand in front of the box that rested quietly on the table, "I… I went to see Gold this morning."

Snow took an aggressive step forward and hissed, "Why would you go see that man? He…" She seemed to choke on her words, "We…" She turned away abruptly.

Quietly Henry finished for her, "He's the reason she's dead."

Emma flinched before resolutely shaking her head, "No Henry, Gold may have manipulated things, but we're… I'm the one that went along with it. I'm the one that killed her. James, Grumpy, and Red tied her to the tree." She leveled a look at Henry, unwilling to let him shirk his responsibility, "And you got her out of the house."

Henry turned his head away as his lower lip trembled.

Snow wrapped her arms around her waist and murmured, "And I stood by and let it happen." Some of her fire returned, "She… I hated her so much but I…"

Emma nodded, "I just wanted to talk to Gold, and he mentioned your father Snow. He said that Regina had her reasons for killing him, and I think that," She pointed to the box on the table, "Is the key to finding out. Gold said her mother took a piece of Regina's heart, the part that could truly feel love, joy, hope, peace… the positive emotions really."

Snow narrowed her eyes, "So the piece she was left with let her feel what exactly?"

Emma replied starkly, "Everything else."

James placed a gentle hand on Snow's shoulder, "Pain, anger, grief, hatred…?"

Emma nodded as Henry asked, "So what's in the box?"

Emma stepped even closer to the table and opened the lid on the box. As soon as she'd done that a faint, steady thumping was heard.

Quietly she answered him, "The piece of her that's left, half her heart."

Snow let out a gasp, "Emma that… the kind of evil it would take to do that, to your own child no less… I knew Regina hated Cora, and who could blame her after Daniel, but…"

Emma shook her head, "Gold seemed certain that the heart would show us Regina's side of things, the part that wasn't in the book."

James frowned powerfully, "What sort of deal did you make with him Emma, what did he want in exchange for the heart?"

Emma shrugged, "He said that Maleficent would come looking for the heart and when she did I had to be the one to put it back where it belongs."

Snow let out a snarl, "It belongs in Regina's chest with the other half of her heart!"

Emma didn't blink, "I know."

A moment passed and then Snow's eyes filled with a tentative hope, "Could… is there a chance putting it back might save Regina, might bring her back?"

Emma nodded slowly, "I think so but..."

Henry stood and demanded, "But what? If we can bring my mom back we should right?" Snow nodded along with him as they both leveled looks at Emma.

As Emma stared at her son and mother she was struck by the stubborn set of their jaws, and the tilt of their eyebrows, and by where she'd seen the exact same expression before.

On Regina.

She let out a sigh and finished her thought reluctantly, "It's what Gold… sorry Rumpelstiltskin, wants."

Snow and Henry glanced at each other but it was James who spoke, "If he went to all that trouble to manipulate her death, why would he want her alive now? She is the only one who can end the curse, that hasn't changed."

Emma shook her head ruefully, "And if I am her true love? What are the odds that Regina will be willing to kiss me anytime soon, alive or dead?"

Snow snorted, "True."

It was Henry that sealed it though, "Even if Rumpelstiltskin wants her back, so should we, she… Killing her was wrong and good should do everything it can to fix its mistakes." He was quiet for a moment before he added with a whisper, "I miss her Emma."

Emma melted completely, "If we can bring her back we will Henry."

The three adults shared a look over Henry's head before Snow spoke, "So how do we see Regina's side?"

Emma's hand hovered over the heart, "A single finger on the heart while we think about what we want to see should do it."

Snow looked pained but determined, "What have you seen so far?"

The blonde let out a breath, "Nothing yet, Gold warned me not to touch the heart for more than a minute, but if I'm locked in there I'm not sure how I'm supposed to stop myself so I waited. I figure you and I," She looked at Snow, "Could see the memories, and James and Henry can be out here to pull us away."

Snow nodded, "That sounds fine, I think…" She winced, "I want to know why she wanted my father dead."

Emma reached out to grab her hand, "You might not like the answers you find Snow."

Snow nodded miserably, "I know, but I need to know."

Emma pulled out her cellphone and set the timer on it before handing it to Henry, "Press it the second we touch the heart Henry, and pull us away as soon as it's up, I set it for fifty-five seconds." Snow cocked an eyebrow so Emma shrugged, "No point in taking chances right?"

Snow smirked at her before curling her hands in to fists before extending her right hand out to hover over the heart, she glanced up at Emma, "Together then?"

Emma nodded and extended her own hand, "Just think of what you want to see." She waited for Snow's answering nod before she counted down, "Three, two, one…" Together she and Snow each pressed an index finger to the still beating heart and then let out twin gasps as they were pulled into a vision.

* * *

_Regina curled an arm around her abdomen and let herself smile. She'd have to thank the funny little man for his help once her child was born. She leaned back into her chair and reveled in the happiness that had eluded her since the night Daniel had been murdered. She knew her mother had done something to her, to her heart, and that it had amplified Daniel's death in the moments after, so that she'd been so angry with Snow, so terrified of her mother, but the intense feelings of pain, hatred, and anger had faded. She'd let go of her anger towards Snow, or tried to at least, taking comfort in the kind, sweet child who had truly had her best interests at heart that night. _

_She did her best to ignore how hard it seemed to love the child, to truly share in the little girl's triumphs. She had long assumed it had to do with the girl's father, her husband, who didn't love her but certainly had a fondness for her body, and for the potions he used whenever he managed to get her with child. He'd told her the first time that they were to strengthen the child and she'd believed him until the third miscarriage which had occurred only hours after the first dose. The pain and anger she'd felt when she realized that her husband was killing their children on purpose nearly made her blackout with rage but she'd done nothing, save become more rebellious where Snow was concerned. She'd held on to the fragile threads of love she had for his daughter, and the flickering, dying hope that he might let her have a child of her own one day, when Snow was older, and would no longer require so much of her focus. _

_She'd become pregnant twice more since then, and each time she'd hoped and begged to be allowed to carry the child to term, even going so far as to plant the idea of a sibling in Snow's head, the young teen being thrilled at the prospect. Leopold had not relented, the last and final time he'd forced her mouth open three times for three separate doses of the potion before the child had died and been forced from her body. _

_Still it wasn't anger or hatred she clung to, but defiance so that when the strange little man with gold skin came to her and offered to teach her magic, just enough to conceal the pregnancy, she'd said yes, ignoring the voice in the back of her head that said the man must want something from her. _

_And now here she was, nearly nine months along, assured by the little man that any potion her husband might use would be useless on her child, now that it was nearly ready to be born. _

_She would have to hide her condition until her husband would have no choice but to love the child, seeing that her little son or daughter was just as innocent and beautiful as Snow but it was not to be. _

_She heard the bang of her outer chamber door and scrambled to cast the concealment spell before her husband could storm her bed chamber but she was not fast enough yet and so she was discovered. _

_Leopold stopped dead when he caught sight of her, blinking before his face purpled with rage, "Insolent woman! You think to defy me in this?" _

_Regina shrank from him, not afraid for her own safety but that of her child, "Husband I…" _

_He lunged at her, "How long!?" She didn't answer and so he shook her, "How long Regina!?" _

_She whispered out, "Nearly nine months." _

_He stared down at her before he grabbed her arm and dragged her behind him, "The potion won't work!" He pulled her into the corridor just outside her chambers and snapped at the guards, "Go away, leave the Queen and I!" The guards scattered, none of them willing to brave their King's wrath to help their Queen. He pulled her along behind him until he'd reached the end of the corridor and the flight of steps that waited there. _

_He glared down at her, "You forced me to do this Regina, this is your fault!" _

_Regina blinked up at him, her eyes wide with tears, "Do what? Leopold please…" _

_He let out a grunt and swung her around. He let her go when her momentum was at its highest and there was nowhere for her to go but crashing down the stairs, to land violently abdomen first. Even so she tried to shield her baby from the fall, heedless of the damage it might do to her own body. By some cruel twist of fate when she'd come to rest at the bottom of the steps she felt relatively uninjured except for the pain in her abdomen. The child that had been actively kicking had gone suddenly still and a rush of liquid stained the steps and the dress she wo-_

* * *

Snow was yanked from the heart with a labored sob, "Oh…" As soon as Emma was pulled away she stepped towards Snow.

Snow turned away as she placed her hands on her knees and bent before bolting towards the sink to expel the meager contents of her stomach before dry heaving over the sink.

James let out an alarmed cry, "Snow!"

Emma shook her head before she forced the wave of nausea she was feeling down.

Henry looked terrified, "Was it that bad?"

Emma nodded and blinked, realizing a second later that her eyes were wet with tears.

Henry answered her unspoken question as she brushed aside the tears, "You both started crying, Snow about fifteen seconds in, and you at about twenty five."

Emma nodded as she watched James rub at Snow's back before the woman spun from the sink with a blazing fire in her eyes, "She was pregnant six times! My father…" She choked, "My father…"

Emma ducked her head, "I thought maybe he smacked her around a little but that was... I've never seen anything like that."

James exchanged a look with Henry before speaking, "Regina was pregnant six times? Why don't you have six grumpy, slightly evil brothers and sisters?"

Snow's lip curled at him, "They wouldn't have been evil! They would have been perfect!"

Emma added quietly, "Leopold force fed her a potion every time she got pregnant so that she'd miscarry, except the last time."

James paled, "Why… Why would any man do that to his wife?"

Snow's eye narrowed as she replied, "That's what I'd like to know." She strode towards the table with the heart and looked at Emma who wilted slightly. The blonde was certain she didn't want to see anymore but at the very least she needed to see why Leopold would have done that to Regina.

She nodded and then looked at Henry, "Start the timer again kid."

He nodded fearfully as she and Snow pressed a finger each onto the heart.

* * *

_Regina sank back, nearly delirious with pain and heartbreak as the healers finally removed the child from her womb. It had taken nearly two full days of scrambling and potions for the healers to figure out how to force her body into labor and even then they'd been forced to use the hook in the end. _

_Regina was sure that even Daniel's death had not hurt this much as she listened to the healers rush away with the child, the child who was quiet, with no cries coming from its fragile lips. She pressed her face into her sweat drenched pillow and let out a sob before she tensed as the door to her chamber opened again. _

_A quiet voice ordered, "Leave us…" She could feel him standing over her, "Regina." _

_She turned her tied eyes towards him before sobbing out brokenly, "Why? Why could I not have this one thing?" _

_He didn't not soften as he stared down at her with a disgusted curl to his lip, "You will give birth to no children Regina, not when you could give birth to a boy." _

_She blinked at him, "I don't understand…" _

_He growled at her, "A son would supplant Snow as my heir and I will not take that chance. She is worth a hundred of your children." _

_Regina stared up at him, stunned, she didn't want her child to rule the kingdom, indeed the moment the King was dead she'd take the child away, away from court and ambition. _

_One of the healers came into the room and looked regretful as he spoke, "Your majesties… The Queen…" _

_Leopold raised an eyebrow, "What about the Queen?" _

_The healer sent a sympathetic look towards Regina, "The damage done by the fall and the hook… I fear that the Queen will never be able to carry a child to term, if she is even able to conceive at all." He ducked his head; most Kings would be displeased with such information. _

_The King simply nodded, and Regina watched as he turned glittering, slightly triumphant eyes on her, "Such a shame, but rest assured my Queen, I will never set you aside, my daughter is heir enough and she loves you so." _

_The King turned on his heel and strode from the room while the healer looked at Regina before speaking tentatively, "The child is well formed your Majesty, nearly full term. Would you…" He hesitated before asking quietly, "Would you care to hold the child?" _

_Regina nodded numbly, stunned with the knowledge that she might never be a mother to a child of her own blood. The healer hurried from the room only to return a few moments later with a small wrapped bundle. _

_Gently the healer set the little bundle in her arms and Regina looked down at her little baby. The child had a shock of black hair on its head, and its little eyelids were closed, so that if not for the already blue pallor to its skin it might simply be sleeping. Regina chose to believe that the baby's eyes would be brown like hers, instead of changeable like the King. _

_She set the child down on her chest and set about unwrapping the blanket, taking the time to count the ten perfect little fingers and flinch at the bruising on the baby's chest before coming to a feature that froze her and sent a shock of grief, rage, and hate coursing like ice through her veins. Not just her baby then. _

_But her daughter. _

_She was quiet for a time before pressing a kiss to her little daughter's cold forehead and handing her off to the healer, "I will see to the funeral in the morning, see to it that she is treated with all due respect." _

_The healer nodded, "Of course my Queen." _

_Regina waited until she was alone before speaking quietly, "Rumpelstiltskin…" _

_There was a light crack and then the little man stood at the foot of the bed, "Yes Regina?" _

_She stared at him with vacant eyes before she hissed, "Teach me magic… all of it." _

* * *

Snow was pulled away again and through tear stained eyes she stared at Emma who looked pale and shaky, "He…"

Emma held up a hand, "I know."

Snow sank into James' arms, "I would have hated me too. She couldn't have children Emma."

Emma nodded and glanced at Henry, "It explains why she'd adopt. She wanted to be a mother."

James held Snow for a moment before asking, "Did you see why he'd want to force his wife to miscarry?"

Snow nodded, "It… it was for my sake James. He said he could risk that she'd have a son."

Henry stood at took Emma's hand, "I don't understand."

Snow looked at her grandson, at Regina's son, the child she'd stolen from her, again, and felt her eyes well, "A son would have taken precedence over me Henry. If Regina had had a little boy he would have been seen as preferable as my father's heir."

James dipped his head, "It's cruel logic but true. So the child was a boy then?"

Emma shook her head and again forced away the nausea that wanted to rise up, "The baby, the last one, was a girl. The labor was so bad it looked like Regina would probably never have children again, and I get it. A boy might have taken precedence but a girl? She could have kept a girl."

James winced, "It…"

Snow shook her head, "I'd have wanted me dead too, and it seems like Rumpelstiltskin was there to prey on her grief and hatred. She called out for him as soon as the room was cleared."

Henry perked up, "Rumpelstiltskin was there?"

Emma nodded, "He taught her magic."

James voiced a thought that no one wanted to truly considered, "So… to start with… Regina was another of his victims?"

Emma turned and snarled, "No, she was his sacrifice."

* * *

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	7. Chapter Six: Stalemate

**A.N: Yes, I know this is late. There was a very unexpected family death so I haven't been in any mood to write, to be honest I am still in no mood to write. This was nearly finished which is why it gets the update. Enchanted will get updated eventually.  
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**Happy late Thanksgiving.  
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* * *

**Chapter 6: Stalemate**

Maleficent leveled a glare at Red as she entered the diner and made a beeline for the three women that were seated in one of the booths near the back. She fought the sneer the wanted to curl across her lips as she realized that it was indeed three women rather than two as she'd expected and ordered. She should have known that that true love meant never excluding your other half… even when 'The Good' was part of their title.

She sat next to the beautiful and remote woman who was staring at the two disgustingly in love women across from her with a slightly disturbed look.

Finally Morgana drawled out, "Of all the things Regina did in this world, playing matchmaker between the two of you? That was the worst."

The taller of the couple, with her supple black hair and milk white skin snapped out, "Shut up Le Fay."

The tiny blonde next to her let out a positively charming giggle and added, "You're just jealous Morgana, even at her most evil Regina always had a soft spot for us."

Maleficent finally spoke up, "Why wouldn't she? Wicked won with the two of you."

The blonde's glare was sudden and very odd on her usually cheerful face, "My Elphie isn't wicked. And Regina is… just misunderstood."

Morgana let out a snort, "Misunderstood? The first thing the townsfolk did was murder her! I don't think anyone will listen to you if you try to convince them that Regina was worth saving."

Maleficent's face turned black with anger as she demanded, "And where were the three of you when Regina was being slaughtered?"

Morgana had the good sense to look shamed, "I… I hid Maleficent. A mob turns fast; you know that as well as anyone. If we'd tried to save her we might have ended up tied and gutted next to her."

The blonde wilted, "I was frightened… With the curse broken… kind of I suppose, we didn't know what went back and what stayed the same. And I… There are people from Oz here Maleficent, not just us. I didn't want them to know who Elphie was."

Maleficent turned to stare at Elphaba, "Did… your allergy? Has it returned?"

Elphaba shook her head slowly, "Not yet but my magic is slowly returning."

Morgana dipped her head, "Mine too."

The blonde piped, "Mine three!"

Maleficent nodded, "It is as I thought then. Rumpelstiltskin wanted Regina gone so that she wouldn't be able to oppose him with her magic."

Morgana looked offended, "And us? Shouldn't he have taken steps to have us all murdered?"

The blonde waved a hand, "Don't be silly Morgana, Regina was more powerful than all of us. It's why mean old Rumpy used her instead of one of us. The power of the dark one trumps all of us, not to mention that the Blue Fairy," She let her lip curl, "Isn't going to want to ally with any of us and you've got the perfect recipe for the reign of the dark one."

Elphaba let out a grumble, "I can't even imagine pulling her wings off in this world Glinda."

Distractedly Glinda gave Elphaba's hand a pat, "There there Elphie," Which earned her an eye roll even as she spoke, "I want to know why we're meeting in the open? Is there a plan?"

Maleficent cast an eye around the diner and realized that no one was paying them any mind as she nodded and leaned in close to whisper, "We may be able to bring her back."

Morgana's eyes lit up with a seldom seen happiness as she demanded in a low voice, "How?!"

Maleficent replied quietly, "We have a little less than two weeks to find Regina's heart, the piece that is missing at least, and return it to her chest."

Morgana's face fell, "Mal…"

The taller blonde witch turned to look at her, "What?"

Morgana reached out and took her hand, as if to offer comfort, "Regina's true love is long dead Mal… Returning the half of her heart that Cora took won't save her, not without the magic of true love to make both pieces beat as one."

Maleficent's jaw dropped as a sudden crush of despair hit her, "She… But…" It had all been for nothing then? Regina's death, preserving her body? She let her fist curl even as Morgana squeezed the hand she held, cursing her lack of knowledge about the heart arts that Regina and before her Cora had practiced.

Elphaba settled back into the booth as Glinda curled into her, "So… she's truly gone then?"

Maleficent couldn't even bring herself to choke out an answer, how was she meant to tell Sidney?

Glinda let out a whimper and pouted up at Elphaba as her eyes leaked tears, "I am devastrated."

Elphaba shared a dark look with Morgana and Maleficent before replying with a growl, "Really my pet? Because I am disgusticified."

* * *

"Thanks Ruby…" Emma hung up the phone and turned to face Snow and James, "We may have a problem."

Her parents stared at her waiting for her to finish as she ran a hand over her tired face, "Ruby called to let us know that Maleficent just met up with three women, none of whom Ruby recognized, two tall brunettes and tiny blonde according to Ruby. They just left, looking pissed."

Snow stood and demanded, "Ruby didn't have any idea who they were?"

Emma shook her head, "She did hear the word magic thrown out once, and Regina mentioned more than once. She said that right before they left the little blonde started crying and the two brunettes looked ready to break something. She said Maleficent looked dangerous."

James slumped with a tired sigh, "Regina wasn't without friends in our world. And her friends may want blood in return for Regina's life."

Emma let out a loud groan and asked, "Ok… known associates of the Evil Queen, go!" When Snow and James didn't answer she glared, "Come on people, we need to know which fairytale bad asses are looking for payback on behalf of their buddy the Evil Queen. Let's face it; any company Regina kept in that world is likely to be dangerous."

Snow finally supplied, "It wasn't Ursula. Regina hated her with a vengeance, if I remember correctly she may have actually helped Eric and Ariel just to spite the sea monster."

Emma squinted, "Eric… Dr. Whale right?" At Snow's nod she continued, "That fits, Dr. Whale said that Regina gave him his wife so Ursula wouldn't be shedding any tears over Regina's death. Who else?"

Snow shrugged, "I never really kept track of who Regina was friends with during her marriage to my father, I… She did defy him once, in arranging passage through our kingdom for a witch from Oz."

Emma's jaw dropped, "Oz?"

Henry cocked his head, "Nothing about Oz is in the book. Who did she help?"

Snow shook her head, "I don't know; all I remember was that my father was furious with her and for once Regina didn't seem the slightest bit frightened by how angry she was… it might have happened after the last child."

Emma dipped her head, "Ok so a witch from Oz maybe? We need to talk to Maleficent, and convince her to let me be the one to place Regina's heart back in her chest."

James stood and took Snow in his arms, "Maleficent isn't going to be very eager to listen to anything any of us has to say. She's always been a curse first, and ask questions never kind of witch."

Emma couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips, "Probably why she and Regina were friends then."

Henry jumped from his seat and declared, "If it is going to take time to get Maleficent to let us help we should start soon right? Maybe she and my mom's friends are still together.

Emma nodded slowly. Hopefully Regina's friends were simply grieving rather than causing mayhem and destruction in honor of Regina.

* * *

Maleficent snarled at one of the peasants as they scurried past them in the street as they meandered their way back to the Mayoral Mansion. She caught sight of one of the fairies and stamped down the urge to hurl a burst of fire at the formerly winged woman. A woman who, once upon a time, had been her sister until she'd stripped her wings and launched an all-out attack on all the fairies under the thumb of the Blue Bitch. An attack that had seen her eventually form a friendship with one of the most disturbing and horrifying instances of fairy neglect she'd ever seen.

She wondered if her desire to help Regina was out of some form of remorse. Remorse for all of the pleas for help she'd been told to ignore by Blue when she'd still had her wings. Most pleas couldn't be answered. It was a sad fact of fairydom that not every man, woman, or child who begged for help truly needed it, but there were some instances where a plea for help should not have been ignored and having learned of Regina's childhood abuse at the hand of an evil witch of a mother, she couldn't help but wonder just how Blue had managed to drop the ball so spectacularly with regards to Regina.

Regina's distaste for fairies and all of their magic stemmed from the fact that they'd shown up in droves to aide Snow White, but none had deigned to answer her own desperate pleas for help when she was little more than a toddler. Her prayers to the fairies, whom she'd been told would help any innocent soul who truly stood in need of rescuing, had gone unanswered for so long that by the time Regina was ten she'd ceased to pray for the aide of the fairies, ceased to hope for salvation of any kind, whether it be at the hands of her weakling father or the absent fairies.

It had hurt Maleficent's already broken heart to learn of Regina's abuse at Cora's hands and she'd asked her tentative friend, who was still flush with youth, vigor, and a fresh wave of rage and pain why she'd never prayed to the fairies. She would never forget the look of hurt and hatred that had come over Regina's face when she'd coldly informed Maleficent that she had prayed to the fairies every day for three years before she'd finally realized that they would never answer her. Regina hadn't spoken to her for weeks after that, and it was only after Leopold had been found dead that Regina had returned to her with a dark, triumphant look in place and declared that soon his daughter would follow him in death.

Maleficent couldn't even find it in her to scold the woman for going after an arguably innocent girl for her father's sins. She'd watched as her young friend had nearly destroyed herself and her step-daughter in her quest for vengeance and retribution. Even in all of Regina's hatred and anger, in all her thwarted attacks on Snow, there had been hope.

Regina, who was no coward and had taken her first heart at a younger age than even Cora, couldn't find the evil in herself to murder Snow with her own two hands. Even Leopold, who had more than earned Regina's hatred had been dispensed with by an agent who would later be Regina's Mirror rather than by Regina's own hand though after nearly a year of Rumpelstiltskin's intense tutelage Regina was more than capable of turning Leopold to dust or drowning him on dry land. She could have flayed him alive or set his blood to boil if she'd chosen to do it herself but she hadn't had it in her. His death was relatively quick and painless considering the evil he had visited on Regina and what he'd stolen from her.

And Snow, Regina had claimed viciously to want Snow dead, but she'd hesitated time and again to deal a true death blow. She'd used Maleficent's sleeping curse without ridding the world of Charming first, she'd even saved the jumped up shepherd's son from being beheaded by his own fake father. Indeed, Charming and Snow often seemed in more danger of death by King George's hand than by Regina's, whose measures had always, always had an out.

This was probably why Regina's death by Emma's hand infuriated Maleficent so. A sword to the gut was fairly final in the grand scheme of things and it was ridiculous to Maleficent that the much maligned Evil Queen had in the end actually possessed more mercy and restraint than the entire side of good.

She snapped out of her thoughts as the fairy who was hurrying past shot an ugly look at her to which she replied with a blast of fire aimed at the nun's feet.

The woman shrieked and Maleficent hissed, "Scowl at me again fairy and watch as I burn your convent! I am in no mood for fairy righteousness or indignation!"

Morgana clasped a hand onto her elbow and spoke quietly, "Maleficent…"

She shook her friend off and stepped back from the fairy as she closed her eyes and breathed, to avoid strangling the young woman who was about to become a convenient target for her anger towards Blue.

The nun wrapped her arms around herself and replied back, "I'll scowl at you all I want Maleficent! You've fallen farther than any fairy before you!"

Maleficent's eyes snapped open as Glinda muttered, "Oh Ozma… are all of them so stupid Elphie?"

Elphaba's hands caught hers in a tight grip even as the taller woman muttered, "Apparently."

A crowd was forming as a voice that shot an intense wave of hatred through Maleficent cut above the chattering of the now avidly watching townsfolk, "Ok people! Break it up!"

Emma Swan flanked as she'd been the night of Regina's murder by Snow, Charming, and Regina's brat of a son moved forward and placed herself between Maleficent and the nun which was beyond stupid. As if her sudden presence would make Maleficent less murderous.

Emma demanded with her hand on her gun, "What is going on here?"

The nun spoke up immediately, "She launched fire at me! She was trying to kill me!"

Glinda replied back with a scoff, "Oh please, if she'd meant to kill you there is a definish chance you be dead! She was simply answering one rudish gesture with another!"

Swan's eyebrow shot up, "Rudish? Ok… what rudish gesture deserved a shot of fire?"

Glinda folded her arms and replied back, "She scowled, rudishly."

Emma blinked and then turned to glance back at Snow and Charming, no doubt baffled by Glinda as most often were. It was one of the more entertaining aspects of being the tiny blonde's friend.

Swan finally shook her head, "Look, I don't care how rudely she scowled, it does not justify shooting fire at her."

Maleficent was all but ignoring her friend's murderer, because to pay attention to her would only lead to bloodshed, so instead she asked quietly of the nun, "Answer me this sister… how many times did you ignore a prayer from Regina? From my friend who was but a tiny child being tortured and broken by her mother? I've done the math sister, three years of prayers, likely more than one a day… there isn't a fairy with wings that didn't hear her prayers at some point, that didn't hear that tiny, tearful, _desperate_ little child beg to be rescued from her own mother. So how many times did you ignore my friend?"

The nun blanched, in fact she went completely sheet white as Snow, Emma, Charming, and Henry turned to stare at her, "I…"

Maleficent was glad that both Morgana and Elphaba were holding her back as she snarled, "There is no excuse you or Blue could give! She was a child, she was an innocent once and you failed her!" She turned to snarl at Snow, "The Evil Queen can be laid at Cora's feet, at your father's feet, at Rumpelstiltskin's feet, and at the feet of every fairy that DIDN'T. HELP. HER!"

It was surprising to her though when a moment later Emma Swan's face went cold as she turned on the nun and asked with a growl, "I'd like an answer to her question. How many times did you personally ignore a prayer from Regina?"

The nun looked terrified and shot a desperate look at Snow who snapped back, "Answer the question."

Finally the nun replied quietly, "26 times."

Snow's face paled as Emma's went purple and the sheriff seemed to choke back a bellow, "Tell the nuns to stay the hell out of my sight or I'll arrest them!" The nun gaped at her and bolted as soon as Emma snapped, "Get away from me!"

Maleficent snorted, "Your indignation is late Swan, and does little to quell the urge I have to set this entire town ablaze."

Emma dipped her head, "We can get her back Maleficent. I know you're working on it."

Maleficent let out a snarl as she felt rage bubbled in her, "Am I? And why would you want her back?"

Swan cocked her head, "I made a mistake Maleficent. I shouldn't have killed Regina,"

Maleficent cut her off ruthlessly, "In cold blood."

Swan's eyes closed for just a moment before she nodded, "In cold blood. I can admit to that, now can you admit to the fact that you'll need my help?"

Maleficent growled at her, "Your help to what?"

Swan simply blinked at her, "To find her heart."

Maleficent was surprised for a long moment as she stared at her before speaking, "And what would you want in return Swan?"

The blonde standing with Snow on one side and Regina's brat on the other replied, "I'd want to be the one to put it back in her chest. That's my request."

Maleficent ground down her teeth before motioning for Morgana, Elphaba, and Glinda to follow her to the side, "Well?"

Morgana gave a careless shrug, "What have we got to lose Mal? She's already dead, and as far as we know her true love has been gone for years, what does it matter who puts the heart in."

Glinda spoke up, "Maybe her goodliness will work?"

Maleficent glanced at Elphaba who gave a short nod, "Make the deal Maleficent."

Maleficent let out a heavy sigh and turned to glare at Swan, "You have a week to find the heart, if it isn't brought to the manor in that time the deal is forfeit, and rest assured we will be looking for it as well."

Swan nodded and spoke firmly, "Leave the town alone Maleficent, a cease fire until the heart is found."

She scowled but agreed, "Fine, as long as the nuns stay out of my way." She turned on her heel and swept away with her friends at her side, missing the triumphant look Swan shared with Snow.

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